Our Staff
LCC is staffed by a talented group of professionals each bringing a unique suite of skills including a shared passion to help children thrive in early childhood.
All teaching staff are expected to obtain, at a minimum, CDAs by the end of their second year of LCC employment. Program Directors are expected to hold or be working toward an MA in early childhood education, or a relevant field.
Teaching Staff
Sara Johnson
Sara Johnson has been teaching at LCC since 2001. Sara has a degree in Early Childhood Development and Education. She is the parent of triplets who are all LCC alumni. She brings consistent, positive energy to her classroom.
Anne Rodeck
Anne started her career with LCC twenty years ago in 2003 teaching both at our Leland and Northport sites. Most recently she was a guide at the Leelanau Montessori school. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Hope College and a Child Development Associates.
Betsy Garthe-Shiner
We are delighted to welcome Betsy to LCC! She is returning back to Northport, her hometown, after spending time living in Hawaii and for the past six years Alaska. She has a BA in Child Development from Michigan State University and has taught in various preschool settings over the past 13 years.
Kate Sigworth
Kate moved from Boston to Leelanau County in 2023 with her husband and two young children. Her unique background includes a BA in Psychology and a BS in Nursing and a great passion for early childhood care and education.
Support Staff
Katie Hafner
Katie brings enthusiasm for working with young children and creative background and experiences to her role as Support Staff. She was a peer counselor and home visitor for the Parenting Communities program in Northport, a lactation consultant for the health department, and is an artist and writer. She is the parent of ten year old twins and a teenage daughter.
Jaffe Wade
Jaffe has an elementary art education degree and is the parent of a recent LCC alumni and a current LCC preschooler. Jaffe taught in our 2022 summer program, has been an active volunteer, and is a LCC Board member.
Food Program Manager
Lynne Brach
Lynne has an inspiring array of experience including being the director of food services at the Leelanau School, a tour leader and cook for women's bike expeditions, and a basecamp cook at a summer camp in Ontario. Lynn attended Calvin College, College of the Atlantic, and NMC Culinary School. She is the parent of two grown children.
Administrative team
Heidi Kruse, Executive Director
Heidi has deep roots in this community and comes to LCC with a strong background in non-profit management. She has over 25 years of fundraising experience including: developing and executing major donor recognition programs, working with businesses and groups to establish cause related marketing, strategic planning, brand development/awareness and organizing and running special events. Heidi is a strong advocate for community involvement, capacity building through collaboration with donors and community partners and is committed to ensuring long term financial sustainability for the Center. Both her children are alumni of LCC.
Molly Grosvenor, Program Director
Molly grew up in Leland and attended LCC when it was in the church basement 40 years ago. She was a teacher at LCC for 10 years before entering the role of Program Director in 2006. She has two sons and two step-sons, all LCC alumni. Molly has a Bachelor’s degree from Evergreen State College and a Masters in Education degree with an emphasis in Early Childhood Instruction and Curriculum from Grand Valley State University.
Jen Reutter, Donor & Operations Manager
Jen joined the LCC staff in 2022, bringing 20 years of business development and operations experience to the organization. She and her husband joyfully returned to Leelanau County in 2017 to raise their family where she made her favorite memories summering with her resident grandparents. Her 2 young boys, now alumni, were nurtured through the LCC program. Jen holds two Bachelor of Science degrees from Michigan State University in Wildlife Biology and Zoology.